"What?" Charlotte shrieks. "What happened?"
She frantically looks down at her appearance and then lets out a breath, realizing she definitely covered herself.
Savannah walks over lifting Charlotte's chin and runs a finger down her neck.
"I gotta get my makeup. Really, Gabe? Come on. You know this town! Her daddy is gonna murder you!" she snaps, slapping the back of my head.
She leaves the room quickly, coming back with a bag and we hear the front door open.
“Shit!” Savannah whispers. “Take your hair down, quick. I’ll fix it after they check on us.”
We all open our books quickly, Charlotte sitting the furthest away from me in the other corner of the room.
“So fragmentation and binary fission are--oh hey, mama,” Savannah says, looking up at the doorway to my bedroom.
“Y’all got a big test tomorrow?” she asks, crossing her arms over her chest, glancing around at us.
“Yes, ma’am. The girls are helpin’ me so I pass,” I say.
“Charlotte, your mama said dinner is at five. Make sure you’re home before then," my mama says.
“Yes ma’am, thank you,” she answers softly.
She ducks her chin back down, focusing on her book and my mama eyes her.
“Door stays open,” she says, pointing at me.
“Yes ma’am,” I say with a nod.
She leaves and after a few seconds we all let out a breath.
“You’re fixin’ for an ass whoppin’, boy. I don’t think all the makeup in the world is gonna cover up this monster,” Savannah groans.
“I’m sorry,” I sigh, grabbing Charlotte’s hand. “I got carried away.”
“It’s okay. I just gotta keep my hair down. Maybe braids when I play ball or somethin’,” she shrugs.
She gives me a smile as she squeezes my hand and I see it in her eyes. The love she has for me and I really wonder why. Why me? What the hell did I do in another life to deserve this angel?
8
Charlotte
“Gabriel John, put me down!” I shriek.
“Didn’t you hear Principal Garner? Keep all valuables on you at all times. You ain’t leavin’ my side, Charlotte Daniels,” he laughs.
He continues to walk around the school hallway, holding me sideways as everyone looks at us, some laughing, some whispering.
“He meant objects, not people, you goof!”
“Fine, fine,” he says putting me back on my feet. “You ready for senior year, baby cakes?”
He slings his arm over my shoulder and I link our hands.
“Ready to be outta this small town and in the real world with you! You think you’re gonna get drafted?” I ask, looking up at him.
He kisses my forehead as we make our way to our first class.
“I hope. It’s gonna suck bein’ away from you, though. Maybe I’ll get drafted by the Cajuns,” he laughs.
“It’ll be worth it when you’re in the big leagues. We can handle it. That’s why there’s video chat,” I say smiling, putting my hand on his cheek.
He leans down and we kiss quickly, our foreheads touching as we gaze at each other.
“God, I love you,” he whispers, rubbing a thumb down my cheek.
He turns us quickly, caging me against the lockers as he kisses me again, harder this time and his hand pushes my hip into the locker.
“Skip with me?” he pants.
“Gabe, it’s the first day of school, we can’t skip already,” I laugh.
“Lunch in my truck?” he asks with hope.
“That I can do,” I wink.
“Get to class love birds! None of that! Keep your hands to yourself,” says Principal Garner walking down the hall.
“You said keep your valuables--”
“Nice try, Gavinwood! Get in there!” he says, waving his hands as he continues down the hall.
I laugh and slap his chest as we walk inside the classroom. I take the front seat in the corner and Gabriel groans, taking the seat behind me.
“Why must you always sit in the front? How am I supposed to sleep if I’m right up here?”
“That’s the point, Gabriel. You’re not supposed to sleep. You better hope your lazy ass makes it to the majors. I’m gonna have to carry you through LSU,” I say, shaking my finger at him.
He grabs it and bites the tip, wiggling his eyebrows.
“It’s a beautiful ass though, ain’t it?”
I laugh and roll my eyes.
“You know how I feel about your butt.”
I wink and turn back around as our teacher introduces himself, handing out the class syllabus and starts the lesson. Halfway through, I feel a soft touch on my waist, lifting the hem of my t-shirt, connecting with the skin on my back. I suppress my flinch and smack his hand down as Mr. Lionel continues the lesson.
“Stop it,” I whisper.
“I need to do somethin’ to keep me awake,” he whispers back.
He moves his hand up higher, under my t-shirt until his fingers run along the side of my ribs, up to my bra.
“Don’t,” I whisper.
He laughs softly as the bell rings and he drops my shirt back down.
“You’re already startin’ on the first day, huh?” I smirk, turning as he reaches for my backpack and slings it over his other shoulder.
“You get sexier every year, what can I say?’”
We hold hands as we walk to the orchestra room and wait for our instruction.
“We’re splitin’ up today everyone. Cello’s in the room across the hall. Bass players, y’all are next door, violins, y’all are in this room. and viola’s, y’all are in the corner room.”
Gabriel eyes me with a smirk and I walk over to the instruments, struggling with my cello as I walk across the hall to the practice room. Gabriel and I are the only cello players besides Penny, but I didn’t see her inside the classroom.
We both squeeze into the room, shutting the door behind us as he reaches for a stand, putting in between our seats. He puts the sheet music on the stand, his gaze never wavering from mine.
“How much time you think we got before he comes to check on us,” Gabriel whispers, leaning his cello against the wall.
“Maybe a few,” I whisper back.
He cups my cheek, moving my cello to the side as he takes its place between my legs. He leans forward more, his tongue invading my mouth as his hand moves down between my legs. I moan at the contact as he rubs me through my jean shorts.
“Probably only another minute, baby cakes, you wanna come for me?” he pants against my lips.
He moves his hand harder and faster against my shorts, the rough material and his strong hand making me sigh against his mouth.
“God, right there, almost Gabe,” I groan.
He slips his hand up the leg of my shorts, his finger touching my wet folds, putting a finger inside me and I explode, rocking against his hand, gripping his bicep. He slowly takes his finger out, slipping it into his mouth and licks it. I watch through my hooded stare as he backs away towards his cello.
“Good Lord, Gabriel Gavinwood. I can’t believe I let you just do that,” I say, out of breath.